Last letters: writing to be remembered

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19 January 2018 • 12:15pm

Occasionally the last words spoken by historical figures or celebrities sound like they could have been scripted. Some are wonderfully reminiscent of a life’s work. Humphrey Bogart’s last words to wife Lauren Bacall - ‘Goodbye, kid. Hurry back’ - echo his famous line to her in Casablanca, ‘Here’s looking at you kid’. Others are strangely prescient. Nostradamus’ final prediction - “Tomorrow, at sunrise, I shall no longer be here” – was possibly his most accurate.

But in real life, none of us have the script-writer’s control over our closing lines. More likely, our closing comments will be all too pedestrian, like the last words spoken by the legendary King of rock n’ roll, Elvis Presley, ‘I’m going to the bathroom to read’.

The foresight to write for posterity

People through the ages, aware that they were coming to the end of their lives, have had the foresight – and the courage – to write down their final thoughts and feelings for friends, family and sometimes the wider world.

Letters of farewell have been left by writers from all walks of life to communicate everything from gratitude and unconditional love to practical advice for getting on with life.

WWI soldiers in the trenches wrote to their wives. Parents facing execution for treason have written to their children. Sons and daughters fighting disease have written to their mothers and fathers. Among the most famous are Captain Scott’s final letters, documenting the last days of his ill-fated expedition to the South Pole in the early 20th century. He shares his love for his wife and son, but soberly encourages her to remarry – “I cherish no sentimental rubbish about remarriage… when the right man comes to help you in life".

Author Melissa Nathan used the opening pages of her final novel, The Learning Curve, as a last letter to her family, writing ‘I am in the unusual position of knowing that this book will, in all probability, be published posthumously.’ She used the letter to thanks her parents for their support, her husband for 12 years of marriage and to wish her three-year old son Sammy, ‘happiness’.

Sharing final thoughts and wishes

Famous explorers and authors once had a unique platform to have their last words read, but more and more, each of us have the freedom of the Internet and social media to share or final thoughts and wishes.

In 2010, American author and internet blogger, Esther Earl, passed away at 16 leaving a letter for her parents expressing her wishes for a future she would never have. She also made a series of YouTube videos about her fight against the thyroid cancer that ultimately killed her, inspiring the novel and film, ‘The Fault in our Stars’. Esther’s parents subsequently published a book of her drawings and notes – ‘This Star Won't Go Out: The Life & Words of Esther Grace Earl’.

In December 2015, A Wisconsin mother Heather McManamy wrote a ‘Good News – Bad News’ letter. The bad news was that she was dead, the good news for anyone reading the letter was that they were not. The moving letter was posted to Facebook by Heather’s husband the day after she died and it quickly went viral, being shared over 27,000 times since it was posted. In the letter she says she has no regrets, saying she spent ‘every ounce of energy I had living life to the fullest’. She closes by asking her readers for a favour: ‘… take a few minutes each day to acknowledge the fragile adventure that is this crazy life. Don’t ever forget: every day matters.’

Echoing Heather McManamy’s acknowledgement that she was gone, American reporter Mark Mooney wrote “If you are reading this, that means that I am no longer here” in his last blog post. Mark, who died from prostate cancer in October, kept a blog detailing the progress of his disease, from his final prognosis to his death. He wrote regularly about the ups and the downs he faced through his treatment and in his last post, about his life and work and family. Writing with incredible affection and humour, he thanked his wife for her care and noted that he got, ‘so many more laughs than I gave’. Of his children he wrote:

‘My daughter Maura and son Paul are better looking and smarter than me, a fact which they often reminded me. I was still working on a retort at the time of this writing.’

And now that technology allows our final words to be shared with thousands of people all over the world, taking the time to plan out our final words can be a wonderful gift to a wider world inspired by the love and affection expressed.